Russian Man Nails Testicles To Street To Protest The Police State
16 hours ago | International, Politics | Posted by Kristin Tate
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Some people dislike the police state more than others.
Russian artist Pyotr Pavlensky really dislikes the police state.
On Sunday, Pavlensky stripped naked and nailed his testicles to a Red Square cobblestone to protest the Kremlin’s crackdown on political rights. His stunt took place on Russia’s annual holiday, “Police Day.”
The artist, who is from Saint Petersburg, said on Grani.ru that he was attempting to draw attention to Russia’s growing “police state.”
Well, he certainly drew attention.
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As horrified citizens watched Pavlensky, police officers covered the artist with a blanket. He was subsequently taken to a hospital in Moscow and then to a police station. The incident was caught on video:
Pavlensky has a history of controversial protesting.
In 2011, he sewed his lips together in Moscow’s main cathedral to protest the jailing of Pussy Riot band members. And just last May, he stripped naked and covered his body in barbed wire in front of Saint Petersburg government buildings.
Pavlensky’s protest may be distasteful to many, but he is certainly drawing attention. And by doing so, perhaps individuals around the world will engage in productive discussions about government control.